When you’re with a group of friends, you’re more likely to give back.
A growing trend, group volunteering, is reshaping community service. Volunteering with friends or family can bring people closer and make a bigger impact as a group.
The Beginning of the Gabriel Homes Work Crew
Mike Holupka, former chair of the Gabriel Homes board of directors, wanted to use his trades experience at The Anderson Company to help our residents feel more comfortable in their homes. A group of Mike’s retired friends agreed: spending one day a month working on home upkeep together was a fun way to stay active and give back to their community. From there, the Gabriel Homes Work Crew (GHWC) was born.
“We do everything from painting indoors and landscaping outdoors to putting up Christmas decorations. Some of us had electric or plumbing skills, but we were mostly guys who showed up and did whatever needed doing.”
Indoors:
At Gabriel Homes, residents decorate their rooms to match their styles. The GHWC is there to help rearrange when their interests change, which sometimes comes with a fresh coat of paint. Two ladies wanted their rooms painted a lavender color. At another home, one resident, a passionate Washington Commanders fan, wanted their bedroom painted burgundy and gold. Once they caught wind of the requests, the GHWC painted the rooms light purple and team colors respectively from wall to wall.
“The Commanders room looked like a hangout space when we were done painting. Covering the walls in burgundy and gold took all day, and the resident loved it as soon as they walked into the room. All the hard work was worth it seeing their reaction to the room.”
Outdoors:
Mulch days are infamous among the GHWC. Hauling heavy wheelbarrows of mulch and spreading them around the yard can be physically taxing for a group of 70-somethings, some crew members joke. The crew meets at the crack of dawn with coffee and donuts, and they start by picking up sticks and other debris. The Anderson Company lends a truck with a dozen cubic yards of mulch, and the guys wheelbarrow, dump, and rake everything into place.
At the same time, other GHWC members clear the yard with leaf blowers and tidy the shrubbery with trimmers. Trees, plants, and flowers around have the same care to keep the homes vibrant and welcoming year-round. Giving the same TLC to all six homes, the gents wrap up mulch day feeling exhausted but proud of what they accomplished together.
The Holidays:
In late fall, on a day when the crew clears the sticks and leaves, the GHWC installs the outdoor Christmas lights. The group drapes the lights on the bushes and trees, and each home shines with spirit during the season of giving. In recent years, the residents have been saving the GHWC some indoor labor by decorating their own Christmas trees with lights and ornaments.
“Before leaving the homes for the day, I look at the lights for a second. I feel a sense of pride that they look good and I’m doing it for good people. The residents teach me about independence and responsibility, and they’re better at those things than most!”
